Train describer system



' June 8, 1937. F. BENEDICT TRAIN DESCRIBER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 17, 1932 NvENToR /m/M// /fgd ATTORNEY ovm Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATE-Sv PATENTl OFFICE TRAIN ADESCRIBER SYSTEM Application February 17, 1932, serial No. 593,565

28 Claims.

This invention relates to train describers, and more particularly to a train describer operated automatically, but subject to manual intervention if trafc Varies from its normal schedule and such other intervention as may be found necessary. Y

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to indicate at each platform or station of a plurality of successive stations along the l0 trackway the kind of train or car that is approaching, such as local or express or the destination of such train or car, and to change these indications automatically as the various trains progress. Another feature to be accomplished by the present invention resides in the provision of manually controllable means at a starting station to give the proper indications at all platf forms in the event that a different than the usual schedule of train movements is to take place. Another feature ofthe present invention resides in the provision of manually controllable means at each of the various stations or platforms, whereby if several trains are Yconsolidated into one this manually controllable means may 95 be actuated to cause the signals to properly indicate the elimination of one or more of the trains.

Other objects, purposes and characteristic features of the present invention will in part be obvious from the accompanying drawing and will in part be more particularly described hereinafter.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in 5 which:-

" Fig. 1 shows one form of the present invention applied to a section of railway track diverging into two diiferent tracks; and

Fig. 2 shows a modified form of apparatus for D the starting station of the invention shownin Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Referring to Fig. 1 the track rails l0 have been shown divided into sections by insulating joints each section of which includes the 5 usual track battery I2 and a track relay T (with a corresponding exponent). Each of these track relays has a pole changer relay PC (with a suitable exponent) associated therewith. In addition to these relays there is also provided a stick 50 relay S in the starting station O designated by a dotted rectangle, in which starting station there is also an alternate relay AR. This alternate relay AR causes the trains to be automatically designated as alternately being for one des- `V,55 tination and then another destination, so that manual intervention will not be necessary so long as the trains are started in this alternate fashion. Y By referring tothe drawing it is readily apparent that each pole changer relay by its polar contact controls the polarity of the next polar relay in advance, providing that the intervening track circuit is not occupied and has its track relay energized. Also, it is apparent that if a certain train moving in the normal direction of traino, as indicated by the arrow, that is, from left to right, enters a track section when there is no other train in this track section, all these pole changer relays will be successively operated to a particular polar position, thereby causing the indicating lamps N or B (with proper exponents) located at the various station platforms, and the indicating lamps NY or B Y(with suitable prexes) located at the tower to be energized. An operator `may be on duty in this 9 tower to operate the switch machine SM, so that each train may take the proper track without delay, or the switch machine SM may be operated automatically in a manner as pointed out hereinafter. It is believed that the features of this system may be best understood by considering the operation of the system.

Operation-Let us first assume that alternate Broadway and Nassau trainsleave the starting station which is to the rear of the block containing track relay T0, and that the first train to reach station O is a Nassau train, it being noted that each of the platform lamps N0, N1, N2, N3 and N4 are all lighted, as shown in the drawing, to indicate that the next train is a Nassau 3- train. The circuit for illuminating the lamp N0 may be traced as followsz-beginning at the terminal contact of the relay PCO, wire |60, lamp N0 to the other terminal also the circuit for illuminating the indicating lamp ON 4 may bek traced as followst--beginning' at the terminal contact |50 of the relay PC0, wire |10, lamp ON to the other terminal The remaining Nassau lamps are illuminated through similar circuits vhaving corresponding reference characters with distinctive exponents or prefixes. The first train having left the starting station, as above described, Yeventually enters the block 'containing track relay T0, the consequent deenergization 0i the track relay T0 resulting in the opening of contacts I8 and l 90 and in the closing of contact 20 of the relay T0. Opening of the contact prevents changing of the polar positions of the relay P00 until the train in question has left station O. Dropping of the contact 20 55 of the track relayr'Io reverses the polar position of the alternate relay AR causing its polar contact 2| to be operated to the left-hand position, so that the relay PCo will be reversed as soon as the track relay contact |9o closes, thereby indicating that the next train will be a Broadway train.

Let us now assume that the first train traversesV the station O and enters the track section containing the track relay contact |91, thereby isolating the relay PC1 from the polar contact 22,"y of the relay PCD.

As soon as the rear end of this first train clears out of the Atrack section 'containing relay T0, the contacts |8,` |9,l and 20 will.

again be raised, thereby energizing the circuit'for the Arelay PCU with current of positive polarity, and thereby' operating the contacts |5o and 22 to the right, which results in illuminating thel indicating lamps B0 and OB through thev following circuits:-(1) beginning at the terminal (-t), contact |50 of relay PCO to the right, wire 23, lamp B0 to the other terminal and (2) starting at the terminal contact l50 of relay PC0 to the right, wire 240, indicating lamp OB to the other terminal .v The remaining lamps B, having other exponents and prefixes, are at times energized through similar circuits having like reference characters with distinctive exponents and prefixes. f

Referring tothe drawing it will be noted that the illumination of ,indicating lamps at the various platforms will be changed from N to B as this rst train leaves a particular station, thus indicating that the next train Will be a Broadway train. In a similar way the passage of each train will indicate the next train to approach.

So long as the trains are alternately Nassau and Broadway trains the system will function as intended. Let us, however, assume that both the second and the third` trains are Broadway trains, it being understood that the second train will be properly indicated at station O when it reaches the same, but that the third trainwill bevwrongly indicated. In order to correct this wrong indication the motorman of :this second Broadway train will stop j ust before he reaches the station O and he will reach` out and depress the push button PB mounted at ak lconvenient place, as on a pole or. on a subwayv wall. push button PB closes a circuit readily traced in the drawing for the stick relay S, which relay S when picked `up will be stuck up through the following stick circuit:beginning at the terminal (ff-)7, front contact I8 of relay T0, wire 25, stickV wires 3| and 32, front contact 33'of the relay S,: Wire 34, pole changer relay PC0 to the midepoint of said split battery. This reversal of the pole, changer relay PC0 will cause each of `the pole changer relays in advance thereof between it and the next train in advance to be operated to a corresponding right-hand position, to indicate at eachlof the intervening platforms that the third train is also a Broadway train. .Picking up of relay S will also extinguish the lamp 9 by reason of opening of contact 8 of relay S, thereby in- Depression `of thev acter of the platform signals, not because there hasV been a change in the order of the trains, but possiblyV because onevof the trains has been incapacitated and has been combined with the next A train in the rear,r so `that it'will be necessary to eliminate the indication for the second train. Y'I'his elimination of the second-train will take place automatically, for as soon as the second train couples itself to the first train they will both occupy the saine track circuit and in so doing the second train indication will be entirely lost. If the combined train is to take the designation of therst train no change in the indication will be necessary and the push button PB'or PN (with the proper exponent) need not be depressed. However, on'the other hand, if the combined train is to take the designation of the second train,

'and assuming that to be different from that of the at the tower, this being done so that the operator l in the tower vmay be informed as to the order in Which the trains are, and how they are progress-` ing, and also that he may operate the switch machine SM through the medium'of the leverA SML to the proper position before the train has actually arrived, the switch machine being `controlled through normal wire NW and reverse wire RW through suitable approach locking and interlocking contacts (not shown) included in the common wire of the switch machine SM. If, on the other hand, it is desired to dispense with the operator at the tower, the contact 224 of the polar relay'PC4 may be'substituted for the leverV SML by throwing the doublethrow switch 31 toward the left, in which event the switch machine SM will be roperated entirely automatically; the wires leading from the contact 224 have for convenience been designated NW1 and RW1 and are auxiliary normaland reverse wires, respectively, for controlling the switch machine SM automatically.

It will be noted that'the pole changer relay PCX does not have any indication lampsassociated therewith. This relay PCX is employed in y caseswhere the distance betweenl successive platforms or stations is so great that two trains are apt tov getinto the'intervening section of track at the same timeand in order to avoid the second train havingv its signal indication lost for 4reasons explained hereinbefore, an intervening track relay and repeater lpole changing relay, such as track relay TX and pole changing relay PCX are employed. For instance, if two trains having different destinations should occupy the section between platforms 2 and 4 at the same time, the indication of the second train will not'be lost so long as. these two trains do not occupy two adjacent track circuits at the same time, land in practice the motormen will be instructed to avoid such simultaneous occupancy of adjacent track sections. f

Modification Fig. 2

Instead of usingseparate push buttons PB and PN at station O for the purpose of manual out the eli-ect of this relay AR on the relay PC0r as by the back contact 33 of relay S in Fig. 1, and in controlling therelay PC0 directly by contact 2l of relay AR. It is readily apparent that if the lever L is maintained in its central position, they relays AR and PCo will be alternately reversed as trains pass by and deenergize and reen` ergize the tracky relay T0 the same as in Fig. 1, and that such reversal does not take place when the lever L assumes one or the other extreme position, for this relay AR. willbe energized to a paiticular polar position depending upon the position of the lever L and this position of the relay AR will be repeated by the relay PCU assuming the opposite position. n

Having thus shown and described one rather speciiic embodiment ofthe present invention, to*- gether with a modied form of a starting station equipment for such system, and having rather specifically described how this system is to be used, it is desired to be understood `that this should not be .construed as a limitation ofthe scope of the invention, nor should it be Vconstrued' as illustrating the exact constructionpreferably employed in 'practicing the invention, but that the specic system illustrated has been selected for the purpose of disclosing the principles of the invention andone way of practicing the invention, but'that various changes and additions may be made to adapt the invention to the particular problems encountered in practicing the same, all without departing from the spirit thereof, except as demanded by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim as new is:-

1. In combination, a track layout comprising a plurality of routes each preselected for a diierent one of a plurality of trains, a plurality of passenger stations along the track, a pair of indicators at each station one of each pair being simultaneously displayed to distinctively vindicate the particular route a particular one'oi said trains is to traverse, a polar relay for each station for controlling said indicators, a track circuit including a'track relay at each station, anda circuit for each'polar relay including'a contact of the next polar relay in the rear and a iront contact of the track relay of the adjacent track section.

2.*In'combination, a stretch of railway track diverging into two tracks through the medium of a track switch, a plurality of stations along the track, two train announcing indicators at each station one of each simultaneously indicating that an approaching train is destined to travelover one of said vtracks and the other of each simultaneously indicating that an approaching train is destined to travel over the other of said tracks,

a polar relay at each station for controlling thel two indicators at such station, and `means for controlling said polar relaysin accordance withrthe,prgressptrains alone the track.,

3. vIn combination, a stretch of railway track diverging into two tracks through the medium of,v a track switch, a plurality of stations along the track, two train announcing indicators at each station one of which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for one destinationandl the other of which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for the other destination, a polar relay at each station for controlling the two in-Y dicators at such station, a switch machine for operating said track switch, means for controlling said switch machine to cause said track switch to. assume a position `to correspond to the polar position of the polar relay at the station at said track switch, and means for controlling said polar relays in accordance with the progress of trains along the track.

4. In combination, a stretch oi railway track diverging into two tracks through the mediumk of a track switch, a plurality of stations along the track, two train announcing indicators at each station one of which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for one destination and the other ci which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for the other destination, a polar relay at each station for controlling the twoindicators at such station, a switch machine for operating said track switch,means for V,controlling said switch machine to cause said track switch to assume a position to correspond tol the polar position of the polar relay at the station nearest .said track switch, a track circuit for each section connecting two stations including a track relay, and means for controlling each polar relay including a contact of the track relay of. the section inr the rear Vof such polar relay.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track diverging into two tracks through the medium of a track switch, a plurality oi stations along the track, two train announcing indicators at each station one of which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for one destination and the other to arrival of a train for the other destination, a polar relay at each station for controlling the two indicators at such station, a switch machine for operating said track switch, means for controlling said switch machine to cause said track switch to assume a position to correspond to the polar position of the polar relay at the station nearest said track switch, a track circuit for each section connecting two stations including a track relay, and means for controllingV each polar relay in accordance with the position of the next polar relay in the rear providing the track relay associated with Ythe section between such polar relays is energized.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track diverging into two tracks .through the medium of a track switch, a plurality of stations along the track, two train announcing indicators for each station one of which indicates the precursory arrival' of a train for one destination andV the other of which indicates the precursory arrival of a train for the other destination, a polar relay at each station for controlling the two indicators at such station, a switch machine for operating said track switch, means for controlling said switch machine to cause said track switch to assume a position to correspond to thelpolar position of the polar relay at the station nearest said track switch, a track circuit for each section connecting two stations including a track relay, a circuit for each polar relay including thev contacts ofthe next polary relay indicate the percursory" in the rear and a front contact of the track relayv of the section between such polar relays, and manually operable means for changing the polar position of one of said polar relays. 7. In combination, a stretch of railway track diverging into two tracks through the mediumV of a -track switch, a plurality of stations along the track, two train announcing indicators foreach station one of which indicates the precur- 1Y0 sory arrival of a train for one destination and theV other of which indicates `the precursory arrival of a train for the other destinationa polar relay at eachstation for controlling the two indicators at such station, a switch machine.

l5 for operatingsaid track switch, means Vfor controlling said switch machine to cause said track switch to assumea position vto correspond to the polar position of the polar relay at the station nearestqsaid track switch, a track circuitv a plurality of stations along said stretch of track, V

a plurality of indicators at each of lsaid stations, and means responsive to said progressive con 35 trol of said track vrelays for progressively and selectively `operating said indicators in accordi ance with the destination of said trains.

V9. In combination, a stretch of railway track traversed by trains having different destinations '40at the exit thereof, a'plurality of track relays progressively controlled bythe progressive advance of trains vthrough said stretch of track, a plurality of stations along said stretch of track, a plurality of indicators at'each of said stations,

45 means responsive to said progressive control of said trackrelays for progressively and selectively operating said indicators in `accordance with the i destination of said train and the next succeeding train, and manually controllable means for 50' changing the order of operation of said indin cators by said trains.

l0.V In combination, a stretch of railway track traversed by trains having a plurality of destinations at-the exit thereof, a plurality of track 55 relays progressively controlled by the progressive advance of trains through said stretch of track, a plurality of indicators'at eachrorf a vplurality of locations, 'a plurality of control relays for controlling saidindicators, means responsive to -60 said progressive control of said track relays forprogressively and selectively operating .said control relays, means controlled by said control relays for progressively operating said indicators in accordance with the advance' of said train,

'55- and means controlled by said control relays for ',trollingsaid indicators, means lresponsive to saidy progressive control of said track relays for progressively and selectively operating said control relays, means controlledl by said control relays for progressively operating said indicators in accordance with the advance ofI said trains, and means controlled by said control relays for selectively operating said indicators in accordance with the Ydestinatiorrof said trains. n 4 -12. In'- combination, a stretch of railway track traversed' by trains having a plurality of destinations at the exitther'e'of, la'.v plurality or! track relays progressively controlled by the progressive advance of trains through said stretch of track, a plurality of indicators at each of a plurality of locations, a plurality of polar control relays for controlling said indicators, means responsive to said progressive control of said track relays for progressively and reversibly operating said control relays, means controlled by said control relays for progressively operating said indicators in accordancejwith the advance of said train, means controlled by said control relays for alternately operating said indicators in accordance with the destination of said train and the Vnext succeeding train, and manually Vcontrollable means for reversibly operating said control relays to change the order of operation of saidv indicators by said train.

13. In combination, a. track layout comprising a plurality of optional routes established through the medium of a track switch, al plurality of insulated track sections preceding said track switch 'each section including a track relay, said track relays being responsive tothe progressive advance ofV trains over said sections, and means responsive to theA progressive operation of` said track relays for automatically and alternately operating said trackyswitchl whereby said optional routes' are automatically and alternately established.

14. In combination, a track layout comprising a 4plurality of optionalirroutes established through the Vmedium of'a track switch, a plurality of in'- sulated track sections preceding saidtrackswitch said track relays areresponsive to the progressive advance of trains over said sections, means responsivet'o Athe progressive-operation of said track relaysior automatically and selectively operating said track switch whereby said optional routes are automaticallyand selectively established, and additional meansfor changing the order of operation of said track switch.

16. In combination, atrack layout comprising a.

stretch of track having a plurality of optional routes at the exit-thereof, a plurality of indicators forindicating the particular routes to be traversed by a plurality ofv trains, selecting means includ- Aingja plurality of track relays progressively controlledfin response tothe progressive advance of*- train'slover said stretclrofy track IoralternatelyA ,displayingrv saidv indicators tol-indicate Vthat "alternateVVV trains'- willi` traverse alternate routes,-v and additional means operative toL change the orderl Y of display of said indicators to indicate that alternate trains will traverse the same route.

17. In combination, a track layout comprising a stretch of track having a plurality of optional routes at the exit thereof selected by atrack switch, a plurality of indicators for indicating the particular routes to be traversed by a plurality of trains, selecting means including a plurality of track relays progressively controlled in response to the progressive advance of trains over said stretch of track for alternately displaying said indicators to indicate that alternate trains will traverse alternate routes, additional means operative to change the order of display of said indicators to indicate that alternate trains will traverse the same route, and means controlled by said selecting means for automatically operating said track switch in accordance with the routes to be traversed.

18. In combination, a track layout comprising a plurality of optional routes established through the medium of a track switch, an insulated track l section preceding said track switch and including a track relay, means responsive to the successive advance of a plurality of trains over said section for controlling the repeated operation of said track relay, and means responsive to said track relay operation for automatically and selectively operating said track switch whereby each of said trains is routed over said track switch in accordance with the route it is to traverse.

19. In combination, a track layout comprising a plurality of optional routes established through the medium of a track switch, an insulated track section preceding said track switch and including a track relay, means responsive to the successive advance of a plurality of trains over said section for controlling the successive operation of said track relay, means responsive to said track relay operation for automatically and selectively operating said track switch whereby each of said trains is routed over said track switch in accordance with its destination, and additional means for changing the order of operation of said track switch.

20. In combination, a track layout comprising a stretch of track having a plurality of optional routes at the exitl thereof selected by a track switch, a plurality of indicators for indicating 50 the particular routes to be traversed by a plurality of trains, an insulated track section preceding said track switch and including a track relay, means responsive to the successive advance of a plurality of trains over said section for controlling the repeated operation of said track relay, means responsive to said track relay operation for selectively displaying said indicators to indicate the destinations of said trains, and means responsive to said track relay operation for auto- 60 matically and selectively operating said track l switch in accordance with the destinations of said trains.

2l. In combination; a track layout comprising a plurality of alternate routes; a plurality of pas- 65 senger stations along the track; a pair of indicators at each station, one of each pair being simultaneously displayed to distinctively indicate the particular route over which an approaching train is destined to pass; a polar relay for 70 each station for controlling said indicators; and

.means for controlling said polar relays in accordance with the'progress of trains along the track.

22. In combination; a track layout comprising 75 a plurality of alternate routes; a plurality of passenger stations along the track; a pair of indicators at each station, one of each pair being simultaneously displayed to distinctively indicate the particular route over which an approaching train is destined to pass; a polar relay for track circuit including a track relay ateach station; and means for controlling each polar relay in accordance with the position of the nextpolar relay in the rear only when the track relay associated with one of said polar relays is energized.

23. In combination; a track layout comprising Ya plurality of routes; a plurality of passenger stations along the track; a pair of indicators at each station, one of each pair being simultaneously energized to distinctively indicate the particular route over which approaching trains are destined to pass; a polar relay for each station for distinctively controlling said indicators; and means for controlling each of said polar relays in accordance with a preceding polar relay and also in accordance with the progress of trainsalong the track. 'K

24. In combination; a track layout comprising a plurality of routes; Aa plurality of passenger stations along the track; a pair of indicators at each station, one of each pair being simultaneously energized to distinctively indicate the particular route over which approaching trains are destined to pass; a relay for each station for distinctively controlling said indicators; and means for `controlling each of said relays in accordance with a preceding relay and also in accordance with the progress of trains along the track, and subject to track circuit control.

25. In a switching system for railways, a track section comprising a main track and a diverging route connected to said main track by a track switch, a power-operated switch machine for operating said track switch, storing means automatically controlled by the successive entrances of a plurality of trains into said main track for storing said entrances, and means including said storing means for successively operating said track switch.

26. In a switching system for railways, a track section comprising a main track and a diverging route connected to said main track by a track switch, a power operated switch machine for operating said track switch, storing means automatically controlled by the successive entrances of a plurality of trains into said main track for storing said entrances, and means including said storing means for successively controlling said switch machine as each train reaches said section.

27. A system for controlling the operation of a power-operated track switch to positions to conform with the destination of each train of a number of successive trains approaching the switch comprising; the combination with a power-operated track switch and controlling means for governing the operation of said switch to the normal or to the reverse position; a track circuit adjacent the switch; train destination storing means including'a plurality of electroresponsive units, each unit operable to assume `different conditions to reect the normal or reverse positionfof said track switch for a particular destination; manually operable means for controlling the conditions of the electro-responsive units of said storing means as each train approaches, one unit at a time and successively veach station for controlling said indicators; a

in a particular order and in a particular con- Y train to actuate orfleave unactuated the track switch as required by the destination of the next succeeding train, and. to allow the electro-responsive unit which last operated said track switch to be again conditioned to reect a destination for another train.

28. A system for routing a plurality of successive cars fromA a single track section capable of simultaneously containing a plurality of cars and extending from anr entering point to an exit point into a plurality of route tracks through the medium of Vstoring means for storing the plurality of car destinations in the same order as the cars pass the entering point for the purpose of setting up routes to these destinations as the successive cars pass the exit point comprising; the combination with power-operated means for establishing any one of a plurality of routes, each extending from the exit point into a particular route track; a track circuit adjacent said exit point; car destination storing means including a plurality of electro-responsive units, each unit operable to assume a condition to refleet the route over which the car which it characterizes is to move; a manually operable means for each route for controlling thecondition of the electro-responsive units of said storing means as each car passes said entering point, one unit at a time and successively in af- Y particular order and in a condition depending on the particular manually operable means actuated; whereby the actuation of a particular manually operable means defines a particular route for a, particular car, of a number of succeeding Y cars which are to pass over said exit point, and

causes said storing means to register a particular route for each of said cars in the order of their passage by the entrance point; and means controlled by said track circuit for causingsald7 storing means to successively set up a particular route in accordance with the conditions defining destinationA assumed by the successive electroresponsive units thereof, to cause the departure of a car into a route to set up a new routeras required by the route that the next car is to take,

and to allow the electro-responsive unit which last set up a particular route to be again conditioned to reilect the route for another car passing the entrance point.

FRANK BENEDICT. 

